Ophthalmic mounting



I .5. M; SPLAINE OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Nov. 19, 1940.. r

Original Filed Jag. '15, 19se-v INVENTOR. [aw/950 M. Jam/14:-

m M w Patented Nov. 19, 1940 OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Edward M. S-plaine,Southbridge, Mass, assignor to American Optical Company, Southbri'dge,Mass, a voluntary association of Massachusetts Original applicationJanuary 15, 1936,'Serial No.

Divided and this application December 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,787. InCanada October 2 Claims.

v This invention relates to improvements in ophthalmic mountings and hasparticular reference to improved lens holding means.

This application is a division of my co-pending.

. application, Serial #59,.24'7, filed January 15, 1936. One of theprincipal objects of the invention is to provide an improved lensholding means that roughly handled and that will eliminate theyexactness and accurateness in the fitting of the parts to be connectedusually required in mountings of this character, in the past. 7

Another object is to provide a novel arrange ment whereby the resilientmeans is spot welded to the lens holding means.

Another object is to provide novel means functioning separately of thelens face engaging portion of thelens holding means for attaching theresilient means to said lens holding means and for preventing twistingof said resilient means sidewise relative to said lens holding meansduring use.

Another object is to provide resilient means with relatively straighttransversely extending end portions whereby the 'said resilient'meanswill have substantially line contact with each other and with the lensat their respective ends; 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention 40 will become apparentfrom the following descrip- V tion taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing and it will be understood that many changes may bemade in, the arrangement of parts, and details of construction shown anddescribed without departing from the spirit of the invention as setforth in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to belimitedto the exact arrangement of parts, and details of construc- Ftion shown and described as the preferred form only has been given byway of illustration.

Referring to the drawing: Fig. I is a fragmentary front elevation of anophthalmic mounting embodying the invention; 55 Fig. II is an enlargedfragmentary perspective tact engaging the springs in the vicinitywherein (eras-47) i. t1;

View of the strap or lens holding means shown in Fig. I; and I m 1 Fig.III is a sectional view of the'lens strap or holding means shown in Fig.II.

Much difficulty has been encountered in the past in fitting and securingthe resilient means to the'lens strap or lens holding means so that thevsaid resilient means will be positively held in proper aligned relationwith each other and in secured relation with the lens strap or holdingmeans during use. It, therefore, is one of the primary objects of thisinventionto obviate the above defects by providing a constructionsecuring the resilient means to the lens holding means so that the saidresilient means and lens holding means will be in integral relationswith ea'chother andwill permanently retain said aligned integralrelation 'with each other. I

Referring more particularly" to the drawings wherein like characters ofreferencedesignatetzo like parts throughout the several views, theimproved lens holding means or strap I embodying the inventionas'shownin Figures I to III inclusive, comprises a portionZ, which whenviewed from the front 'is relatively'straight, and has a 2 templeconnection '3 adjacent one end thereof and a bifurcated portion 4adjacent its opposite end. The bifurcations of the portion 4 are adaptedto engage with thefront and rear surfaces of the lens '5 and areprovidedwith openings aligned 30 with anopening in the lens throughwhich attaching means I, such as'a screw or other suitable means' knownin the art, is extended.

The lens holding means I is provided with resilient means 8 of aplurality of sections 9, I0 135 and I I of varying lengths which extendoutwardly of both sides of the lens holding means and provide relativelylong free acting resilient means having no backing shoe inengagementwith the rear thereof for limiting their movement; The gresilient means is secured to the portion 2' overlying the edge of thelens by spot welding which is accomplished by the provision of asuitable apparatus of the conventional type having a conthe weldingoperation is to be performed. In this particular instance the welding isperformed at a point I 8 intermediate the ends of the resilient sections9, I 0, and II. This welding integrally joins the sections with eachother and with the overlying, portion 2 of the lens holding means.

Care is taken before the welding operation is performed, to carefullalign the spring sections with each other and support the said sectionsin proper relation with the portion 2 to which they 55 are to be welded.The contact of the welding apparatus is then placed in engagement withthe resilient means at the point at which the said welding is to takeplace. The contact is then pressed into engagement with the resilientmeans and the welding operation completed by directing a hot shot ofelectric current through the welding apparatus and aligned resilientmeans and portion 2 with which the said resilient means are to besecured.

The connecting means I may be of the prior art solder connected pivotedtype by "which a controlled pivotal action may be obtained and more orless permanently maintained during the use of the device. This type ofpivotal connect on in combination with the resilient means set forthabove enables theforming of a free acting integral pivotal connectionwhich is limited in pivotal movement in both directions by the resilientshock and strain absorbing means.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have providedsimple, efficient and economical means of obtaining all of the objectsand advantages of the invention, particularly that of providing novelmeans integrally securing the resilient means to the lens holding meansso as to permanently secure the parts in proper aligned and fittedrelation with each other.

The resilient sections 9, l0, and H are each provided with transverselyextending fiat ends I2, l3, and I4 as shown in Fig. II. The saidsections 9, l and H may also be provided with the same or differentdegrees of resiliency. It is also to be noted that the upper and loweredges l5 and 16 of the portion 2 are also straight and extendtransversely of the resilient section 9. Said relatively straighttransversely extending edges l5 and I6 and ends l2, I3 and 14 of theresilient sections provide substantial line contact with each other andaid in preventing the said sections from tending to twist sidewise tocause the said welded connection at the point l8 to be under strainduring the flexing of said resilient means.

It is also to be understood that the resilient means I! at the bridgeconnection to the lens 5 is generally similar to the construction of thelens strap or lens holding means I.

Although the construction has shown three 0 superimposed resilientmembers it is to be under-- stood that one, two or more of saidresilient members may be used as desired. r

The welded connection I8 positively holds the resilient sections infixed relation with the lens holding means so that thereis no working atsaid connection which will tend to cause the said sections to separatefrom the lens holding means during use.

The construction is such that the parts may be quickly and easilyassembled and that a relatively inexpensive and durable construction isobtained.

Havin described my invention I claim:

1. In a device of the character described for attachment to a lens, saiddevice comprising a lens holding member having a portion shaped tooverlie the edge of the lens and a portion shaped to overlie a face ofthe lens and be secured to said lens, said portion shaped to overlie theedge of the lens normally having a continuous uninterrupted-attachmentsurface of a width in the direction of'theedge'of the lens substantiallyno greater than the widest part of the portion overlying the face of thelens, and

a plurality of superimposed blade-like resilient members of varyinlengths each normally having continuous imperforate surfaces adapted tobe positioned to overlie the edge of the lens and each having a portionintermediate the ends thereof overlying the attachment surface of theportion of the lens holding means shaped to overlie the'edge of the lensand spot welded in integral surface to surface relation with each other.and to said normally uninterrupted attachment surface, said resilientmembers extendingoutwardly of the opposite sides of said edge portionwith the longest spring adapted to engage the edge of the lens beingfree to flex throughout the major portion thereof during use and beingadapted to engage the edge of the lens in a direction extendingperipherall along said edge when the lens holding member is in connectedrelation with said lens, the respective opposed ends of each of saidresilient members being free to flex with respect to the spot weldedportions thereof'durin use.

An ophthalmic mounting comprising a pair of lenses, lens'holding meansattached to said lenses, said lens holding means comprising a portionoverlying a face of the lens and secured to said lens and a portionoverlying the edge of the lens, said portion overlying the edge of thelens having a continuous attachment surface of a Width in the directionof the edge of the lens substantially no greater than the widest part ofthe portion overlying the face of the lens and a plurality of blade-likeresilient members of varying lengths with imperforate portionsintermediate the ends thereof overlying the attachment surface of theportion of the lens'holding means shaped to overlie the edge of the lensand'spotwelded to said attachment surface so that the said intermediateportions of the resilient members areintegrally joined in surface tosurface relation with each other and in surface to surface'relation withthe portion of the lens holding means overlying the edge of the lens,said resilient members extending outwardly of the oppositesides of saidedgeportion with the longest spring adapted to engage the edge of thelens being free to flex throughout the major portion of its lengthduring use and engaging the edge of the lens on said sides'in adirection extending peripherally along said edge with the respectiveopposed ends of each of said resilient members being free to flex withrespect to the spot welded portions thereof during use.

EDWARD M. SPLAINE.

